antarctica

Ocean bays that pinch West Antarctica are home to two distinct populations of Turquet's octopus (Pareledone turqueti). The shared secrets of their ancestors do not bode well for the future health of our planet.A new DNA analysis of the two geographically separated octopus populations indicates they were once part of one big family.This direct historical connection suggests that around 125,000 years ago, the massive 2.2 million cubic kilometer (530,000 cubic mile) West Antarctic Ice Sheet (WAIS) that separates the two…

A new NASA experiment will take to the skies on a balloon, scanning the space between the stars of our galaxy and listening for cosmic ingredients to understand how the Milky Way evolved over time.First Full-Color Images From Webb Space TelescopeGUSTO, or Galactic/Extragalactic ULDB Spectroscopic Terahertz Observatory, is launching no earlier than Thursday from the largest ice shelf in Antarctica known as the Ross Ice Shelf, according to NASA. From there, the telescope will float 120,000 feet over Antarctica while…

For two years, I worked as a janitor at McMurdo station in Antarctica, mopping the floors of scientists on the cutting edge of wildlife, weather and climate research. Tasked with scrubbing toilets and degreasing showers, I wore the same pair of sea green latex gloves for many hours, six days a week. During my first deployment in 2010, these gloves quickly became an extension of myself; I barely noticed them. This abruptly changed about a month later.That morning started like any other -- I had an assigned building in…

NASA never fails to amaze with its groundbreaking projects. Currently, NASA scientists and Engineers are gearing up for an extraordinary NASA experiment named GUSTO (Galactic/Extragalactic ULDB Spectroscopic Terahertz Observatory) in Antarctica. According to NASA, this innovative project involves a balloon-borne telescope set to launch "no earlier than December 21” as per NASA. Yes, you read that right, it is a balloon-borne telescope. While it will be no match for the James Webb Space Telescope, It will still be a big…

Earlier today, Scottish adventurers Chris and Julie Ramsey were finally able to announce their completion of the nine-month, 17,000-mile "Pole To Pole EV" expedition, the world's first drive from the 1823 Magnetic North Pole to South Pole — on an electric car, no less. The couple actually reached their destination on December 15 (Friday), but they could only share the news after re-establishing satellite connection later. This feat was achieved using a Nissan Ariya e-4ORCE electric vehicle, which was modified by Icelandic…

Credit: Unsplash/CC0 Public Domain Scientific research in Antarctica has played a key role in many important discoveries of the past century. But it has also come at a considerable cost to the environment. Science in Antarctica is typically based at one of the 77 research stations. While their role is to support science, their isolation means they…

Hundreds of thousands of people worldwide are killed annually by malaria and other diseases spread through the bite of mosquitoes, insects that date back to the age of dinosaurs. All of these bites are inflicted by females, which possess specialized mouth anatomy that their male counterparts lack.But it hasn't always been that way.Researchers said they have discovered the oldest-known fossils of mosquitoes — two males entombed in pieces of amber dating to 130 million years ago, during the Cretaceous Period, and found near…

Recent research indicates that Antarctic ice shelves are approximately 6% thinner than previously estimated. This discovery, highlighting the need for more accurate data, is critical for understanding and predicting the effects of ice shelf loss on global sea levels and climate stability. A new effort aims to more accurately measure the loss of ice shelves in Antarctica. Global ice dams are weakening due to rising temperatures, leading to new insights about the mass of Antarctica’s floating ice shelves. A recent study in…

December 5, 20233 min readA giant iceberg called A23a, which broke off from Antarctica in 1986, is finally moving away from the icy continent after being stuck on the seafloor for decadesBy Harry Baker & LiveScienceStuck on the seafloor for decades, Iceberg A-23A now freely drifts northward toward warmer, iceberg-destroying waters. The world's largest iceberg, A23a, is on the move after being trapped in place off Antarctica's coastline for almost 40 years. The gigantic "ice island," which is three times the size of…

A recent study led by glaciologist Benjamin Wallis has revealed the alarming instability of the Antarctic’s Cadman Glacier, which rapidly lost significant ice due to ocean warming. This highlights the urgent need for extensive ocean monitoring and raises concerns about other glaciers potentially facing similar rapid changes. The image above depicts the mountainous and icy coastline of the Antarctic Peninsula. Credit: Professor Anna Hogg Scientists have found that even seemingly stable glaciers in the Antarctic can…